Local solicitor becomes aCitizens Advice trustee

SOLICITOR Patricia Wakeford will be drawing upon her wealth of legal and medical experience as she takes on a role at Gosport Citizens Advice Bureau.
Patricia Wakeford, new trustee at Gosport Citizens Advice BureauPatricia Wakeford, new trustee at Gosport Citizens Advice Bureau
Patricia Wakeford, new trustee at Gosport Citizens Advice Bureau

Patricia, a dual-qualified solicitor and midwife, who is a clinical negligence specialist at BL Claims Solicitors, has become a trustee at the Citizens Advice Bureau, in Pavilion Way.

Patricia’s role is behind-the-scenes; working with other trustees to ensure the bureau is run efficiently and is financially sound.

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The service provides free, confidential and unbiased advice on a wide array of different subjects, including debt, benefits, housing, law, employment and discrimination.

Patricia, who lives in Havant, has done previous voluntary work including being a school governor and mentoring teenage girls for The Girls Network.

She said: ‘As trustees we have to ensure that we have a regular stream of funding which is quite difficult as there is a lot of competition from other charities.

‘I did not realise what a fantastic organisation Citizens Advice Gosport was until I started work as a trustee and Gosport is one area that really benefits from this service.

‘The help that can be given to people is invaluable.

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‘It is often giving people information or signposting them to other resources, even if it is a website where people can get the information they need to manage their issue themselves.

‘Working with the many volunteers has been truly inspiring.

‘They give up their time because they want to help their clients as much as possible.

‘I am really enjoying this new challenge of working with Citizens Advice Gosport. It is such a worthwhile organisation and I am very pleased that I am involved.’

For more information about the Gosport Citizens Advice Bureau, you can visit its website gosportcab.org.uk

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